Jervis Public Library, 613 N. Washington St., will host a modified Recycling Day event on Wednesday, Aug. 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the library parking lot.
During the drive-thru event, community members are invited to bring the following items:
Books and magazines
DVDs, CDs
Electronics/computer equipment
Televisions
Sensitive documents to shred (limit of five bankers boxes)
All attendees will be asked to remain in their vehicles. The event is made possible thanks to support from Kris-Tech Wire Company, Inc. and held in cooperation with Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority, Confidata, and eWaste+.
“Due to the pandemic, our normal recycling events came to a halt,” Assistant Director Kari Tucker explained. “The return of our one-stop event will allow the public a chance to clean out and move forward after so much uncertainty.”
According to Tucker, the formerly semi-annual event dates back to 2006, when Jervis teamed up with the Oneida Herkimer Solid Waste Authority to offer community members the opportunity to recycle their unwanted books, or donate them to the library if appropriate.
Resulting in the collection of over six tons of books in a four-hour period of time, it was clear from the community response that Jervis had hit upon a much needed, and ecologically sound, community service.
“Recycling day at Jervis is at the heart of our continuing efforts to divert waste from the landfill and to encourage sustainable thinking,” Tucker said. “This collaborative event allows residents the opportunity to reduce waste in a productive way, giving new life to items that they no longer need. The event saves the time and energy it would otherwise take to deliver items individually.”
Books and Magazines
According to the library, all types of books will be accepted. All will be evaluated as potential donations prior to being recycled. Residents are asked to limit themselves to what can be brought in one vehicle load.
According to Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Management Authority, paperback or soft-cover books can be placed with curbside recyclables for collection. This includes magazines, catalogs and newspapers. These paper and cardboard material should be placed in your recycling container loosely, with no plastic bags, string or twine.
Hardcover Books cannot be set out for curbside recyclables collection, but can be delivered to the Authority’s EcoDrop Utica location if you can’t make it to the Jervis event. Hardcover books cannot be dropped off at the Rome EcoDrop.
DVD and CDs
According to Oneida Herkimer Solid Waste officials, there is no longer a market for recycled media due to the expense of disassembling or unpacking these items. To divert these from the landfill, DVDs and CDs donated will be considered for the library’s collection and book sales. Any personally created DVDs/CDs will not be accepted. VHS and audio cassettes will also not be accepted.
Electronics and televisions
Acceptable materials for electronics recycling include: computers and monitors, printers, keyboards, mice, network equipment, circuit boards, cabling and wiring, televisions, typewriters, fax machines, video gaming systems and supplies, audio/visual equipment, telecommunications equipment, and other electronics accessories.
Depending upon age and condition, these items are either recycled on a materials basis (metals, plastics, etc.) or disassembled with parts harvested for reuse. eWaste+ (formerly named Regional Computer Recycling and Recovery) sanitizes or destroys all hard drives taken in.
Due to regulations regarding the disposal of electronics equipment for businesses, this event is intended for residential electronics recycling only.
Items that cannot be accepted for recycling include air conditioners, humidifiers, kitchen and personal appliances, and any items containing liquids.
Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Management Authority also offers a free drop-off program for electronics recycling to residents in the two-county region. Residents and businesses may deliver unwanted electronic waste to the Authority’s Utica and Rome EcoDrops year-round, at no charge. Electronic waste cannot be placed in your curbside recycling container. To learn more visit www.ohswa.org/recycle/special-programs/electronics-recycling/.
Sensitive documents to shred
Confidata advises that there is a five bankers’ box limit on items to be shredded and that staples need not be removed. According to Confidata, acceptable paper items for on-site shredding include, but are not limited to: old files, computer print-outs, typing paper, account ledger sheets, copier paper, memos, plain envelopes, index cards, manila folders, brochures, pamphlets, blueprints, post-it notes, unbound reports, calculator tapes, and notebook paper.
Some types of plastic media will also be accepted for shredding, but must be kept separate from the paper products. These materials include: microfilm, magnetic tape/media, floppy diskettes, and photographs. Items that cannot be shredded include: newspaper, corrugated paper, padded mailing envelopes, fluorescent colored paper, copier paper wrappings, and papers lined with carbon.
For more information on this community event, please contact the library at 315-336-4570 or stop by the Information Desk during your next trip to the library.
